


Show me how you see me (and teach me how to love)

by QueenC



Series: Liberty High meets the X-Mansion (aka the Mutants AU) [2]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mutants, Canon Disabled Character, Emotional Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, the Chalex X-Men AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26302105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenC/pseuds/QueenC
Summary: Charlie is having a bad day after a practical class takes an unexpected turn. Alex resorts to his newfound abilities to help him see things under a good light again.
Relationships: Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Series: Liberty High meets the X-Mansion (aka the Mutants AU) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1911001
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47





	Show me how you see me (and teach me how to love)

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm finally back with this verse!!! This idea is from my wonderful Canadian_31, who wanted to see Alex helping Charlie while using his powers. I took some liberties to fit your prompt into my headcanons for this AU but I hope you like what your suggestion turned into all the same!
> 
> Also, lots and lots of thank-yous to Ricoka. If it wasn't for you, I probably would not be publishing this story. I was this close to deleting it, so I can't say enough how important it was to have you reading this one over and reassuring me it was worth a shot. Thank you sfm <3
> 
> On another note, I'd just like to say that despite my well-known dislike for Winston, I don't really wish him any harm. I just needed someone taking the fall for my idea to work here, and he was that best fit plot-wise. Hope you guys enjoy the reading!

Charlie liked to think of himself as an overall optimistic, positive kind of guy. He wasn't one to let his mood sour easily. On a good day, he would wear a smile on his face from the moment he got up to the moment he went to bed. It came naturally to him, to be usually that light-hearted and cheerful.

Today was not a good day. Today was a very bad one indeed, and it sucked.

Charlie sank deeper into his mattress, lying face-first on the pillows, windows closed so he could enjoy the darkness. Dusk was falling, and it contributed to making the bedroom darker, which he wasn't bothered by at all. Usually at this time on a normal day, he would be out messing around with Luke, moods lifted at being released from their daily school obligations. But not today. No, today he had excused himself as soon as he was granted permission to leave.

It wasn't the first time that his powers failed him — he surely could come up with a few other instances where he had been blindsided by his abilities not working. And as frustrating as those had been, they didn't come close to what he was currently feeling. Before, all his failed attempts had been linked to his ineptitude to control his powers when he was younger. Ever since he started attending the Institute, one year ago, he was able to rely on his power as a certain thing.

Except for today. Today they had failed him. And what bothered Charlie the most — what filled him with anger and frustration and all the bad feelings he wasn't used to dealing with — was that he had a fair idea of why it all had gone down like that. And he didn't like it in the slightest to come to terms with this feeling.

There was a light knock on his door and he groaned, sinking deeper into his blankets. He didn't want to see anyone right now.

“Charlie?” Alex's hesitant voice sounded muffled by the heavy wooden door. “Are you in there?”

Charlie turned his head towards the sound, popping one eye open as he recognized the voice. Well. Maybe he could do with seeing someone after all.

“I'm here, come in,” he said with a sigh, voice coming out weaker than he intended.

The door handle turned slowly and two seconds after, Alex's head popped through the door. He peered into the bedroom curiously, eyes softening as they came to a stop on Charlie laying on his bed. “Hey. Luke told me you'd be here.”

“He's a traitor,” scowled Charlie. “I asked him not to tell anyone.”

Alex stopped by his headboard, eyebrows lifting high on his forehead as he peered down at Charlie. “Not even me?”

Charlie rolled on his back, sad expression still in place but his lips turned up a bit at the corners. “No, you're okay, I guess. Come here,” he outstretched a hand to Alex, making room for him on the bed.

Alex's trademark eye-roll won over his face even as he sported a smirk. “Glad I am _okay, I guess_. You really hold me to some very high standards there,” he joked, sitting at the edge of Charlie's bed and swinging his legs on top of the mattress.

A small laugh escaped Charlie's lips, and he lifted his gaze to Alex apologetically. “Sorry. I'm not doing well with my words today, it seems,” Alex hummed in understanding, scooting closer to him on the bed. “You're actually the only person I think I wanna see now.”

Alex's lips curved into a smile and he laid beside Charlie in the bed, throwing one arm over his side as he snuggled into the younger boy's embrace. Charlie's arms automatically wrapped around his back and his chin rested at the top of Alex's head. Maybe because this was too recent — maybe because it would be forever amazing — Charlie never seemed to get over the fact that Alex fit so perfectly into the shape of his arms. Like he belonged there. Charlie liked to think he did.

They remained in comfortable silence for a few minutes, listening to each other's breaths, Alex's fingers tracing absent lines over Charlie's arm, up and down, up and down. The physical intimacy wasn't much of a novelty to them — they had left these boundaries aside a while ago, growing more comfortable and open with their displays of affection even before they embarked on their recent relationship. But the emotional connection still caught them by surprise. It hadn't been that long since they admitted their feelings for each other — not that long since Alex, in an uncontrolled display of power, had unknowingly projected his thoughts straight into Charlie's mind. It wouldn't have been a problem, if not for the fact that Alex's thoughts had been less than friendly.

In fact, it hadn't been a problem at all. And now they got to do _this_ , at any time, not only when Alex needed Charlie's help to ease his migraines.

It was probably trusting their new-found emotional intimacy that Alex felt bold enough to ask, “Do you wanna talk about what happened?”

Charlie kept his eyes closed, thinking the question through for a minute. Did he? He wasn't sure. Honestly, he wasn't used to be the one needing comfort. All of his life had been focused on helping others after his powers showed. So now to have the prospect of spilling his feelings to Alex, of letting himself be comforted by him — it didn't sound bad per se. But it felt somewhat foreign.

But the whole day had already been a wild ride on everything he wasn't used to feeling, so what's one more taste really. Besides, this was Alex. Of everyone he knew, the older boy was the least likely person to judge him.

“I don't know what to say,” Charlie confessed in a small voice. “How is he?”

“He's fine,” reassured Alex. “He was still in pain when I left the nursery but it's nothing very serious. He'll walk it off.”

Charlie hummed his acknowledgment, heart squeezing in his chest when the words 'still in pain' registered. He was to blame on this one. He and his inability to control his powers, and he felt so ashamed by the real reason behind this that it only served to increase his guilt.

So here's what went down a few hours earlier, during one of their practical classes. They were all on supervised training, taking turns on displaying control of their abilities, when suddenly, for whatever reason, Tyler slipped. It had been faster than the blink of an eye — and in the millisecond it took him to turn his attention back to the task at hand, he had already blasted an entire pile of training mattresses on fire. Unfortunately the very same pile Winston had been leaning against as he waited for his turn to practice.

It was all a bit wild after that. Winston's cries filled the room — and Charlie couldn't blame him, Tyler's slip had cost him a nasty burn at the side of his body and it was painful just to look at. Tyler stood frozen in place, shocked, while both their instructors rushed to Winston immediately — and Charlie obviously, _obviously_ followed their cue, because that was what he did, right? When someone was hurt, when someone was in pain, he would step in to help. He couldn't actually cure anyone but the alleviating feeling he was able to induce helped with bearing the pain until proper help was reached.

Except this time, when he kneeled beside Winston's form on the floor and reached for his arm, Charlie felt no energy coursing through his body like he usually did when he helped someone. And Winston's screams didn't stop, and his pain wasn't going away no matter how much Charlie steered his will in this direction — and when the boy's dark brown eyes focused on Charlie's, he could see it written there, under his pain and distress, _why aren't you helping me?_

To be honest, Charlie knew why. He knew, deep down, and he hated that he felt that way. He hated that his personal dislike for the boy was interfering with how he controlled his ability.

He didn't like Winston. It wasn't a given to everyone at school — he wasn't even sure if the boy knew it himself, but the fact remained that he didn't like him. Winston and Alex had a bad history, and Charlie had been the one stranded with Alex's broken-hearted rants right at the beginning of their friendship, so it was hard for him after that to see the dark-haired boy with kind eyes. Charlie wasn't even interested in Alex like that when he and Winston broke up, but it didn't matter. Watching Alex hurting from the kind of pain Charlie couldn't help ease had been exasperating all the same.

So it wasn't news for him that he held a grudge against Winston, a carefully cultivated dislike that stemmed from being Alex's shoulder to lean on as he got his bitter feelings out of his chest, and only seemed to grow anytime Charlie saw Winston trying to approach Alex again. What Charlie didn't know was that these feelings ran deep enough to block his powers.

He was honestly shocked — he didn't even know Winston that well. And yet he couldn't reach that point inside himself that was forever good and prone to help, he couldn't look at this boy and feel moved enough to help him. It seemed that it wasn't enough that he didn't want people to hurt. Apparently, he needed to mean them well, and every time he looked at Winston's eyes and remembered what he had done to Alex, Charlie was sure yet again that he didn't.

It left him feeling awful. It left him feeling raw as if some fundamental truth had been ripped from inside his chest, leaving his ugly side there exposed for everyone to see. To know he wasn't above being selfish, to know he actually could see people in pain and not care as much as he should — it turned all Charlie thought he knew about himself upside down. The teachers had gently pushed him aside once they figured out he wasn't much help at the moment, and he stood glued to the spot where they left him, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, finding it very hard to believe that he hadn't been able to do anything to spare Winston from his pain.

“I'm really sorry,” he murmured, vivid memories from earlier flashing at the back of his eyes.

“I know. It was written all over your face,” replied Alex softly. He backed away a bit, only enough to lock eyes with Charlie. “You do know it wasn't your fault though, right?”

“How was it not my fault?” Asked Charlie tiredly. “He was on the floor, hurting, and I could do nothing to help.”

“Charlie,” urged Alex, one hand immediately lifting to Charlie's face, holding his gaze steadily. “You didn't hurt him. Tyler slipped. It sucks but we know it can happen. If anything, it was Bolan and his mishandling this school that are to blame. We should never practice together if there's any risk we can harm each other.”

“How's Tyler, by the way?” Charlie deflected, keeping Alex's gaze but refusing to acknowledge his words. “I barely saw him in the middle of that mess.”

“He's fine. Shaken but fine. I don't think he knew he could aim that far,” conceded Alex. “But we're not talking about Tyler. Stop worrying about others for one goddamn second. I want to know about _you._ ”

Alex had the most beautiful eyes Charlie ever had the pleasure to see in his life. He knew he sounded like a walking cliche as he thought this but it was just the plain truth. It wasn't even about the shade of blue they had or the thick lashes that framed his gaze. It was about the strength they held. Alex could say so much — and also nothing — with just one look. He had a way of imprinting what he meant in his eyes, and Charlie didn't know if it was a telepathy thing or not but Alex would always make himself understood, for better or worse, with an intent stare.

And now all his eyes told Charlie was _trust me_. And Charlie did.

“I feel like shit,” he admitted finally, and a testament to how strongly he felt was that Alex's eyebrows shot up at his unusual language. “I could have helped him, and for now, that's all I can do with my powers, I can help people. What am I even worth for, if I can't do that?”

“You're still worth a lot. You're more than just your ability,” reminded Alex firmly but gently. His fingers traced Charlie's jaw, the tingling feeling it left on his skin both welcome and distracting. “Also, it's not because you couldn't do it this time that you'll never do it again. You just had a bump in the road.”

“I didn't want to help him,” confessed Charlie. He didn't want Alex's sympathy, he wanted Alex to _see_. “I couldn't find inside myself the willpower to help him.”

Alex just looked at him for a few seconds, fingers still caressing Charlie's jaw absently. “Is there a reason for that?”

There was no judgment in his tone. Alex posed the question with a light, natural tone, as if just interested in his perspective, just aiming to know what was going through his mind.

And Charlie thought he knew it already. There was no way he couldn't know, no way he would not make the connection. But still, he wasn't assuming anything, he was giving Charlie the chance to speak his mind about what had happened.

“I looked at him and all I could see was how much he hurt you,” said Charlie, eyes downcast to Alex's collar. It was hard to admit that out loud, even if it was just the two of them there. “And that was it, once that was in my mind, I couldn't do my thing anymore. I had-- I could feel my intention was there but it didn't matter in the end, because I didn't mean what I was trying to make him feel. I didn't want him to feel good.”

Alex said nothing for a while again, weighing his words. When they finally came, there was a slightly amused undertone to it.

“I know this might come as jarring to you and your overall nice guy persona but it's actually pretty common not to like everyone all the time, you know,” stated Alex, propping one elbow on the mattress so he could lean his head in his hand as he spoke to Charlie. “We all have negative feelings. You can't ask yourself to be empathetic in every single occasion, Charlie. You're allowed your own feelings as well.”

“Even if said feelings prevent me from doing what I'm supposed to do?” Asked Charlie, eyes still avoiding to meet Alex's.

“Yeah, even so,” nodded Alex. “It's actually good that you discovered that there's something that can affect how your powers work. You can try to fix this from now on. Also, you're not a healer. It's not your job to keep everyone intact. You do too much already by helping everyone in pain, it's not your obligation to do any of that.”

“Funny. If I remember correctly, you're pretty keen on making use of my skills,” mused Charlie, holding back a smile.

Alex hummed, nodding along. “Well, then maybe I should monopolize them. If I'm the only one benefitting from your powers, I can make sure you're not overworking yourself, while also you never have to worry about getting stuck again. The way I see it, it's a win-win.”

Charlie did smile this time, letting himself drown in Alex's obvious attempt to distract him. That would have to work for now.

“It's okay not to be good all the time,” Alex half-whispered. “We all have intentions we're not proud of, it's what makes us human. It's how you'll choose to deal with it that counts.”

“I feel like so much that I believed about myself was a lie,” admitted Charlie after a beat of hesitance.

“What do you mean?” Frowned Alex.

“I'm not as nice as I've led other people to believe. As I allowed myself to believe, too. I can be selfish and uncaring. And deep down I'm really pissed that it was Winston of all people that brought out this knowledge about myself,” Charlie vented.

“Having a flaw doesn't erase all your good sides,” said Alex reasonably. He looked absently at Charlie — who still didn't look very much convinced — before setting his mind on something. “I've been learning to do this thing for the last week, would you mind if I tried it on you?”

“Um, sure,” said Charlie, a little taken aback by the sudden turn in the conversation. “What is it, exactly?”

“If it works, you'll actually see it, but-- it's kind of a thing where I can show you some thoughts I'd like you to see?” Alex tried to explain, but Charlie still looked clueless. He shook his head, a little agitated as he added, “Just-- have a little faith, you'll know if it works.”

“Okay,” nodded Charlie, appeased. He looked at Alex expectantly. The older boy looked back. That went on for a few, silent moments before Alex arched his eyebrows in an unspoken question, and Charlie was forced to admit with a grimace. “I'm sorry, I don't really see anything.”

“It's fine, I'm still working on it. Just-- come here,” said Alex, pushing himself into a sitting position and urging Charlie to follow his lead. When they were both sitting face to face in the middle of the bed, Alex reached out, nimble fingers resting on Charlie's temples. “I haven't mastered it yet, sometimes it takes some effort to focus.”

And then he closed his eyes, and Charlie was distracted by his beautiful, concentrated face. But only for one second. Next thing he knew, his mind was flooded with colorful, bright images that didn't belong to himself.

It was easy to know that these weren't his memories because Charlie was currently seeing himself walking through the Institute's main entrance, eyes wide and dazzled, and he knew that this moment belonged to the day that he arrived, only he was seeing it from Alex's perspective. And as odd as it was to see himself as a spectator of his own life, Charlie couldn't help but marvel at this new ability of Alex's.

The day he arrived at school, a little flu outbreak was running among the younger children. Charlie didn't know any of them, of course, but there was this really small girl, six or seven years old at best, that was sniffling pitifully in the nursery, and her eyes were so sad that Charlie just couldn't take it. He had approached her and struck a playful conversation to distract her enough to link his little finger through hers. When she caught up to the fact that it was him making her discomfort go away, her eyes grew wide and she all but hugged him both in gratitude and in search for comfort.

That was how he found himself with children hanging from him on his very first day at school — because once the three other kids saw her little friend doing okay, they were quick to approach Charlie and snuggle around him as well. He had slept at the nursery, propped against the wall as they huddled around him in a puffy air mattress, all night long. And sure, he had tired eyes and was sniffling a bit himself on the next day but he was older and stronger and certainly not so affected by a little cold as a bunch of ten-year-olds or so.

But that was what Charlie knew. What Alex was showing him now added more to the story.

It was not in Alex's abilities the power of making people feel things, at least not yet. But the way he was showing this snippet to Charlie spoke a lot about how Alex himself had felt, because those were his emotions interlaced with his memories. There was a lot of bewilderment as to why Charlie would go so far for people he didn't even know, and then relief at checking the kids were okay, then a bout of amusement at seeing Charlie fast asleep in the middle of a bunch of younglings. And fondness. It was barely there at first but it was shown to grow as Alex kept projecting his memories of Charlie into the younger boy's mind.

It was like watching a movie — but also not really, because at the same time he saw in detail all the snippets Alex was showing him, Charlie could still see the now, the room around them, Alex's expression of full concentration, eyebrows dipping as he worked his ability at his will. Charlie closed his eyes so he could focus solely on what Alex showed him in his mind. His face was too much of a distraction as it was, and he wanted to appreciate this experience fully.

He lost track of how many memories Alex showed him, and they didn't only involve him using his ability to help people, although there were a lot of them as well. But there was also him and Tyler playing ping-pong in the basement when the older boy went through a block with his powers and was a little under the weather. He had led Tyler win, and despite both of them knowing it, Tyler still had a smile on his face when the match was over.

There was Charlie helping Luke study for their upcoming exams, there was Charlie watching Clay's weird robot movies with him the day he'd been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder, there was Charlie baking Jessica cookies to cheer her up on one of the many times she had broken up with Justin. And there was Charlie there for Alex too, of course, holding him through his headaches, keeping him together after his heartbreak, supporting him whenever he felt like everything was a little too hard to handle — but he would look to his side and there was Charlie, there was always Charlie, supportive, caring, selfless Charlie St. George, with his smiles and his soft words and his clothes smelling like cinnamon and sugar, and Alex would know he could try again for one more day.

And the way Alex chose to show it to him, from his befuddled amusement to his undivided fondness, gave Charlie hope and perspective. This was Alex showing him he had done more for helping people than the opposite. Remembering him of who he was and what he stood for in his moment of doubt. And more than that — saying that his good instincts were not restricted to his ability. Charlie's heart swelled in his chest. He surged forward, in a moment of passion, pressing his lips against Alex's in gratitude, and amazement, and affection.

Alex returned the gesture, both hands sliding down Charlie's temples to cup his face into them, and it was only then that Charlie realized a couple of stray tears had rolled down his cheeks, unnoticed in the middle of his focus on the memories. Alex held him close gently, with utmost care and fondness, thumbs wiping Charlie's tears away.

“I could never tell you in words how amazing I think you are,” he said against Charlie's lips, eyes still closed as he kept his focus on showing Charlie how he saw him, “but I hope you can believe me when I show you. You're more than your bad moment, Charlie.”

Charlie held onto Alex's hands at the sides of his face, entwining their fingers tightly, some more stray tears escaping him and he wasn't even sure why he was so emotional. It was more than just the memories, and also more than knowing for sure how Alex saw him. He needed this comfort, this moment of healing. Charlie was so used to do it for others that it escaped him he was the one who needed it this time, and his first reaction had been to run and isolate himself until he was sure the hurt was gone. If it wasn't for Alex, he would still be like that, feeling awful and unhelpful and alone. He didn't know how much he needed this until he got it, and it was hard not to feel overwhelmed by everything — Alex's memories, all the feelings that they held, coming to terms with his flaws and reservations, embracing his weaknesses. Alex's breath calm and controlled mingling with his faster, labored one.  
  
Charlie crashed their lips again, the hand he carded into Alex's hair slightly trembling with emotion. The older boy hummed his enjoyment, and his own hand slipped further to Charlie's neck. He was showing him now memories of the two of them, especially over the few weeks since they got together, and Charlie's heart was singing at the adoration he could see through Alex's eyes.

Charlie was hardly one not to be led by his emotions so it came as no surprise, to either of them, when he leaned forward slowly, the weight of his body pushing Alex down into the mattress as the older boy followed the motion willingly. He was mindful enough to keep his weight away from Alex's impaired side, supporting his body on one elbow as he delved deeper into the kiss — but other than, that their bodies were pressed flush against each other, ankles entwined, and Charlie didn't know anymore whether the warmth he felt blooming in his chest was from happiness and healing or solely from Alex.

He guessed it didn't matter because in this particular case the concepts merged anyway.

Charlie moved his lips down Alex's chin, to his jaw, going further to his neck where he pressed down for longer, imprinting his affection on Alex's skin. He heard Alex's contented sigh as the older boy's fingers threaded into his hair. He wasn't seeing him, he was seeing Alex's faint projection in his mind of the day they met, and he almost smiled at the memory. But instead of doing so, he moved downwards from Alex's neck, kissing the delicate ridge of his collarbone before nipping gently into his skin.

The image in his mind faltered a couple of times, like a lamp just before going out, and then it was gone.

Charlie pulled away from Alex, worried eyes searching his face for any signs of distress. “What is it, what's wrong?”

“Nothing's wrong,” grunted Alex, opening his eyes to throw a begrudgingly amused glance at Charlie. “You're just very distracting, it's all. I couldn't focus any longer. Everything's okay.”

Charlie let out a relieved laugh, closing the distance between them again after Alex's reassurance. He kissed the corner of the older boy slips chastely, gently, as lovingly as he could hope for. “Thank you,” he said earnestly, capturing Alex's eyes in his in holding them with his heart in his sleeve. “I see what you did there. I didn't know I needed this so much.”

“You're welcome,” replied Alex, eyes soft, fingers tracing the ridge of Charlie's cheekbone. “You've done so much for me already, this is nothing.”

Charlie shook his head vehemently. “Don't sell yourself short. This was exactly what I needed.”

“I just showed you how you are through my eyes. You looked like you needed a reminder,” said Alex simply. “Besides I wasn't entirely sure that it was going to work. For a second there, I thought I'd just make a fool of myself.”

“It worked wonders,” stated Charlie firmly. Then he smiled, looking at Alex without hiding his amazement. “I didn't know you could do that.”

“I didn't know either until a few weeks ago,” admitted Alex. “After that day I projected my thoughts to you, I told our teachers about it, and we started to work on it. I still can't do it with fully-formed thoughts, like my voice inside your head or anything like that. I'm mostly stuck to images and still, I can't create anything of my own. So it's been mostly memories I've been focusing on so far.”

“That's amazing,” said Charlie fondly. “I just really hope that whoever you've been practicing this with, it hasn't come as far as this,” he joked, gesturing between the two of them with eyebrows arched.

Alex chuckled, rolling his eyes amused despite himself. “You don't have to worry. I've been practicing this with Jess, and I usually stay away from the very emotional memories with her. Also, I'm pretty sure she doesn't wanna kiss me.”

Charlie hummed thoughtfully. “I'm very glad to hear that. I really could settle on disliking only Winston.”

“You know you don't have to, though, right?” Asked Alex, and now there was a twinge of concern in his expression. “What happened between us was bad but I'm past it. You don't have to hold a grudge on my behalf.”

“Well, it's easier said than done. I'm not sure I get to choose how I feel about him,” Charlie shrugged. “But you're right, I do get to choose how I'll deal with how I feel. I'd like to visit him tomorrow and apologize. Do you think he'll take well to us going there?”

“I guess, if you talk to him truly,” conceded Alex, a confused expression settling on his features. “But why are you including me on this? I've been there today already cause I knew you'd want to know about him. I'm not stepping one foot into that nursery again while he's there.”

“Alex,” said Charlie, equal parts surprised and amused. The older boy returned his gaze, eyebrows lifting in exasperation.

“What? You just said yourself, we get to choose how we deal with our negative feelings. I'll deal with mine by not having him on my sights as much as I can avoid it,” he scoffed. “We're not all paragons of selflessness, y'know, some of us are just fine with being petty every now and then.”

Charlie broke into a smile, eyes traveling over Alex's face fondly. It still struck him how different they were sometimes, even knowing Alex for long enough now to see they were polar opposites in so many ways. The thought soothed Charlie more than it bothered him, though. They didn't need to see eye-to-eye on everything. They just needed to understand each other's boundaries and reservations in order not to trudge into each other's spaces, and this seemed to be working surprisingly well so far.

“Some of you who think you're petty care much deeper than you show,” Charlie muttered. “I appreciate that.”

Alex lowered his gaze, a thin blush rising to his face as he mumbled a 'yeah, whatever', and Charlie was smitten. He grinned, one finger curling under Alex's chin to lift his head so their lips could meet again. This seemed to ease the older boy's self-consciousness, and he leaned into the kiss with more intent than Charlie anticipated.

Not all days would be good, and not every time he would be able to help everyone. It's still nagged at Charlie to come to terms with that but it was a simple truth he would have to learn to live with. Having someone's judgment-free support on this was all he needed. Having it being Alex was more than he could have hoped for.

Charlie sighed contentedly, rolling over in the bed when Alex gently pushed his shoulder to switch their positions. It would all be okay. He was not alone in this.

**Author's Note:**

> Tyler's ability is to generate energy blasts, in case any of you were wondering (similar to First Class's Havok in my mind). Also, in regards to Winston and Alex's breakup, I refrained from the specifics here because I might be inclined to make a separate story about it if you guys are interested (it will most definitely NOT be Winlex, I'll warn you in advance). Let me know in the comments! If you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see in this verse, I'm also welcome to ideas.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this story <3 thank you all for reading!


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